But while it may have started out as a joke, Helen and Harvey's owner soon began to take the idea of a doggy wedding more seriously.

The dog lovers saw it as a great opportunity to bring all their pooch pals together for a massive celebration - and decided to go ahead with the extravagant wedding.

(Image: Sunday People)

Helen said: "I went all out with the hen party - I wanted to give Chi Chi a great send-off into married life.

"I hired a pink limousine to take Chi Chi and her girlfriends from my house to the salon I run, and I made the whole shop completely pink.

"There were pink balloons everywhere, L plates, two specially made doggy cakes - all the hen party traditions.

"I had a butler in the buff to serve the dogs smoked salmon canapes, and two waitresses dressed as flamingos to hand out doggy cocktails made from chicken stock.

"I think the butler thought it was all a bit barmy at first - but by the end he said it was the best hen party he'd ever been to, because there were no drunk women.

(Image: Sunday People)

"We had competitions for the best dressed pooch, a magician and a pampering session - like a doggy spa day, with face packs, hair extensions, manicures and pedicures and even fur-jazzles - Chi Chi had a heart shaped one.

"She wore a special dress for the occasion and she was the centre of attention - she even had a Chinese crested powder puff called Yoshi as her stripper.